You're Still The One
by VisualIDentificationZeta
Summary: HarmJen SUMMARY: They say hindsight is 20-20. But hindsight is always coupled with regret. And one sincere Petty Officer has only one more chance to fix her biggest mistake of the last 3 years before she regrets it for the rest of her life? FWAFS remake
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: You're Still The One

AUTHOR: Vid Z.

PAIRING: Harm/Jen

TIMELINE: FWAFS, about 30 minutes before Mac's last visit at Harm's apartment.

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc of the TV show JAG. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fic. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: this fic's been sitting on my drive for a loooong time and finally found the inspiration to finish it, even though it ends differently when first intended.

SUMMARY: They say hindsight is 20-20. But hindsight is always coupled with regret. And one sincere Petty Officer has only one more chance to fix her biggest mistake of the last 3 years before she regrets it for the rest of her life? FWAFS remake. Because it really needed to be remade.

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"I thought you wanted to go to San Diego, Jen, where they have sun and sandy beaches?" asked Harm. He knew it was the hurt and wounded pride talking in the snide tone, but he couldn't stop it. He'd been hurt terribly by Jen's behaviour of the past few weeks. The one woman he'd thought would never do that to him had done it.

"Uh..." Jen was clearly uncomfortable. She knew her decision to ask Mac instead of him would hurt him after all they'd shared with each other these past few years. But she'd been afraid. Afraid of what was happening between them, afraid of her feelings. That's why she'd acted so unprofessionally with the sleazy Lieutenant. Metaphorically she had run from her feelings that way. She wasn't afraid anymore.

"Why did you do it?" Harm knew his words were bitter and even accusing, something he as an officer had no right to feel, but couldn't help himself. They'd been so close, so intimate without being lovers or being openly in love, for such a long time and then it'd all changed.

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They'd been parents to a young girl for almost a year, equal partners in something that every Common Law would call "marriage", in nature they would've been classed as mates (not in the British or Australian sense of the word) because they were raising offspring together. There are many cases of mates becoming foster parents of an abandoned or orphaned young one in nature and marriage is the human equivalent of mates.

No matter how highly evolved, homo sapiens sapiens is just another animal species what nature is concerned and humans still make many decisions based on their instincts and primitive drives. Those instincts take over almost completely when it comes to seeking sexual and life partners. In many species these two terms are one and the same, members of many, if not most, species mate with one partner for life. There are many examples known when one member of such a couple died and the other lost all the will to live because of that death, following their partner willingly and quickly. The temporarily-surviving partner lost all the will to live, going out away from the pack or family, finding a secluded spot, and spent the rest of the days, that remained, sleeping until death would claim it too, rejoining it with it's mate. In humans there is a comparable behaviour known. It's said that the partner "died of a broken heart" or "died out of sadness and grief". Still, human is the only species, who's member were made to mate for life, except for a few "mutations", that knows something as a divorce. Technological advancement mutated the species into losing most connections to nature and to it's origins. And to itself.

Nevertheless, humans are still influenced in their choice of a potential partner by these ancient instincts that are designed to insure the propagation of the species and to provide offspring with caring and protective parents, to insure it's survival.

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And all these feelings, instincts and drives had been awakened in Harm soon after he and Jen had basically started sharing custody of Mattie, and thus he was not only hurt emotionally by Jen suddenly, unpredictably and out of the blue shattering the bond they had by giving her attentions to another man, but the primal man in him was roaring in rage at her for betraying him and their family.

Coincidentally for the same man the woman who'd kept stringing him along for years was fawning over these last few months.

Harm didn't know why that was so. His enemy wasn't much to look at.

Short, sleazy, slick like a used-cars salesman, unethical, immoral, with no respect for law, authority and ethics, an obvious womanizer, for whom a woman consisted only of breasts, legs and genitalia. He probably had notches in his bedpost and a little black book with names, dates, descriptions of his conquest and evaluation of the woman's looks and of the experience of the sex.

Harm had always been completely disgusted by this type of men and only the General's obvious adoration of the young officer stopped him from teaching the young pup a lesson and inviting him to a session in the ring. Harm was puzzled by Cresswell, the man was famous for his good judge of character, how could he have been so wrong with Vukovic?

That was another thing that bothered him about Vukovic. Harm had always given a lot of importance to family and one's roots and this guy didn't even care about his own roots. For, had he cared, then he would've known that his family name did not originally end like he was speaking it. It would stop him from so faithfully giving permission to every attractive female of the staff, enlisted included, to call him 'Vic'. Vukovic is actually Vukovich, of Serbian origin. The immigration officers at Ellis Island were obviously inexperienced or just didn't care and had no clue about the fact that Slavic nations have additional letters in their alphabet, making the Grammar easier and using one letter instead of two. Instead of "ch" they use a "c" with an upside-down roof over it. Same goes for sh. And zh.

Had Vukovich cared about his origins, thus about the proper pronnounciation of his last name, then he also couldn't use his beloved nickname in efforts to seduce/sexually harrass female members of the armed forces. The man also didn't care about the fact that just proposing to a female of a higher rank to call him 'Vic' is disrespect of a superior officer, conduct unbecoming, attempt at fraternization and even sexual harrassment. Same goes for coming on to enlisted women.

Harm itched to get his hands on him. He even toyed with the idea of requesting Vukovich be transferred into his new command to really put the pressure on the man and force him to either change into a model officer or resign from the Navy. He just wasn't sure whether it was worth the problems he'd have with him.

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	2. Chapter 2

I'm off to Germany for 2 or 3 days, I'll update when I come back. This should tie you over until then.

Loved the reviews, keep them up.

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Half of the men in the office (not counting in the General) saw the newcomer for what he was, the other half was blind or just didn't care, and many of the single women on the staff seemed to be under his spell, some practically eating out of his hand.

Among them was Harm's mate and the only thing Harm could do was bear it in silence and wait for the shorter man to make a mistake big enough to have him strung up a yardarm. Big enough that the General couldn't ignore it or push it under the rug. From the way Cresswell was acting, Harm wouldn't be surprised if the General would try to prevent any mark on the LT's record, at the cost of other officers.

Even though Harm consciously put Jen in the "Enlisted - off limits" category and respected that boundary, the primal man in him recognized his mate in her.

Harm's diamond-hard self-discipline kept that primal man handcuffed and gagged most of the time, so he managed to speak up only during the times when Harm couldn't repress that side of himself sufficiently enough for reasons beyond his control. During times of extreme, physical and emotional, exhaustion; or when he slept and dreamt, for example. And when the primal man found himself free of these restraints he wanted his mate beside him, standing by his side, and preferrably helping him insure the continuation of the human species. All the while ignoring the fact that the continuation was well insured by other 6 billions on Earth and his lack of participation wouldn't even be noticed, much less spell doom for the human race.

Both Harm and his primal side were hurt by Jen's actions of first falling for the young usurper and then asking to go with Mac.

This request was especially puzzling as Mac and Jen had never had any kind of friendship at all, much less any kind of bond, beside the purely professional one of co-workers.

Even on those extremely rare occasions when Mac had come by, while Mattie was still there, which was only 2 times, Jen had soon found an excuse and removed herself from Mac's presence. And when Harm was present he always had the feeling that there was a tension between the two women, tension of competition, of them sizing each other up and fighting for a spot.

Harm had the mental image of Jen standing before him, with her back to him and her front towards Mac, and squaring off against Mac, showing Mac in an aggressive way that she was to be careful what she said and did to Harm, unless she wanted a fight with her.

Like a lioness protecting her wounded mate. Like a female protecting _her_male.

The primal side of Harm was cheering her on, approving the fact that she so openly acknowledged their relationship, while Harm himself was distinctly uncomfortable. He was infinitely thankful to Jen for caring about him, but didn't want Mac to get the wrong idea and do something out of vengeance. Something drastic, hurtful and dangerous to him and Jen, which was something she had done several times in the past. Something that could destroy Jen's career and take away his own together with his personal freedom. He didn't like the idea of spending time as a guest in Leavenworth for something he hadn't done. Especially since his new neighbors would be some of the many he had put there himself. He wouldn't survive a week in there.

But recently he'd found himself missing Jen's attentions, Jen claiming him as hers, and he felt rejected and hurt by her fawning over another man.

Which is why he had trouble understanding why she'd suddenly changed her mind and wanted to go with him, instead of with Mac since she'd asked Mac first.

He knew he should definitely listen to what she had to say.

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"I was afraid."

Jen's words shocked the living daylights out of Harm. "What!?"

She hung her head, unable to look at him in her shame. "I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"The General was starting to think there was more than just friendship between us."

"Well, he would be right. We are friends."

"I didn't mean that." she hedged, squirming uncomfortably.

Harm understood immediately. "Oh."

"I'm not afraid anymore." the way she delivered the statement was so_her._

With a quiet, calm tone, but there was an intensity behind it, a hint of the strong personality hidden by her calm and serene demeanor. When he'd first met her she was a barrel of TNT with a short fuse, thanks to her father's abuse and the life she'd lead, but since she'd come to JAG she'd calmed down, as if she'd found her harbour, her place in life. She radiated wisdom, maturity and serenity not usually found in people her age. Many people are wrong in believing calm and serene people are not strong, that they can be easily manipulated, that only people who act like Mac aggressively or defensively are strong. That calm and quiet manner can mask a powerful personality, one which can not be manipulated or swayed, is intense and on-course. Jennifer Coates was a perfect example of it.

"But, what about the General? If you come with me..." he stopped when he saw her head shaking emphatically.

"I don't want to go as your Yeoman."

That definitely threw Harm for a loop. "You don't?" He couldn't imagine as who she would want to go. His heart, hurt so many times, was afraid to hope.

"No. I want to go as the woman you love." her dark eyes lowered uncertainly. "If you still want me. I'll understand if you don't. With how I've been lately..."

Harm felt an unknown swelling in his chest and it took him a minute to identify it. It had been so long since he'd last felt it, just before Meg had disappeared from his life, that he just didn't know how it felt anymore.

The unknown feeling was happiness.

He tenderly put a finger to Jen's chin bringing her gaze up to lock on his. Breathing in deeply, screwing up the courage he took the biggest risk of his life, knowing how much depended on it. With his next words he changed his life. Forever.

"How about going as my wife?"

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	3. Chapter 3

I'm back! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, nearly 2000 km didn't manage to do me in. Well, physically. Until I checked my mail and saw your wonderful reviews, which boosted me up to the ceiling, I was completely down psychologically, for which the credit goes to the endless and intensely boring Autobahns and the endless mountains and tunnels of Austria between Linz and Graz. Had a nice trip, though exhausting and did manage to see a little of the Ramstein AFB from the A6 while driving by.

Thanks for your reviews, loved them, please keep it up.

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This is based review-section-wise, from the last reviewer to the first, there is no other meaning in the sequence.

**Cassandra30:** a very good tip, thank you. Unfortunately the fic's already written so I can't use it in this one.

**carolfd: **soon enough:)

**canuck:** thank you, but unfortunately this won't be a long one. But on the flip side, as you can see it's EXTREMELY shippy and even downright corny.

**Lynnp, michelle UK:** here you go.

**Lt Cmdr Ann Collier: **hey, Ann, great to hear from you again. Can't say I know how sea duty is like, but if I had a chance I wouldn't choose a big honkin boat with 5000 crew. My perfect ship for sea duty is a double-mast schooner, white painted, and I would loooove to work on one somewhere warm. In a place like Polynesia... About 100 years ago. Btw., I adored the show Tales of the South Seas, too bad there's so few Isabelle/David ship fics posted. Another plus of the show (besides the fantastic surroundings, the sexy schooner and the inviting water, not to mention the hot - which is just right for me - weather) was that one of my top 5 fav actresses was on it... Rachel Blakely. Took me about a month after I first saw her to discover that she had a body (and what a body it is...), not just her eyes. Which frankly, had always and will always captivate me.

**Sarai, jddrafts:** thanks

**TZMaverick:** hey man, good to see you alive and kicking and still on the net! But it's getting lonely writing Harm/Jen fics all by myself, wanna help out by perhaps starting on that chapter 9 for Broken bones and love?

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Jen's eyes grew impossibly wide and a suspicious shimmer appeared in their corners. Her lips tried to form words, but no sound came forth. Finally, she managed with a voice shaking from intense emotions."You mean it?"

He nodded, a smile pulling on his lips. "I mean it. So, what do you say? Want to be the Mrs. Harmon Rabb, Jr.?"

His question was what broke her paralysis and she threw herself at him "Yes. Yes. Yes. YES!"

Harm twirled her around, laughing in joy. When he got dizzy he stopped and allowed her to slide down his body and land on her own feet. Finally, for the first time ever, their lips met in a kiss, tender and sweet. It was the irony of their lives that the first time they kissed was only after they'd gotten engaged.

After their lips parted from need of air they just stood there, entranced by each other's eyes.

Quietly, but with his eyes glowing with intensity, he whispered as his fingers caressed Jen's cheek. "I love you."

She smiled, her lips trembling slightly. She sniffled and impatiently wiped away a tear as it moved to go down her cheeks. "I love you too. More than you'll ever know."

She burrowed herself into him then, hiding her face in his strong chest as she took in his scent. His musky scent never failed to calm her down and it did so now as well. This was the man she loved and she would never let go of him again.

Harm held her to his body, enjoying the feel of her, enjoying even more the knowledge she would remain there for as long as they lived. The scent of her shampoo, perfume, body lotion and of _her_ intoxicated him. This was the woman he loved and he would never let go of her again.

A few minutes later they could evade reality no more. Harm was the first to broach the subject. "What about the regs?"

Jen's smile calmed down his anxiety. "I talked to the General before coming to you." she shook her head when he started to say something, silencing him. "I assured him we never had a romantic relationship and that you didn't know I was talking to him. Then I told him about my feelings for you and that you didn't know about them. With you getting transferred I was quickly running out of time and didn't want to lose you. We made a deal. You and I start a relationship and he will find me a position in London. You turn me down and I resign, this being the only way to avoid a courts-martial. But since we're getting married, I can even be your Yeoman. With certain changes in the chain of command and who would write my evals and recommendations. And I want to be your Yeoman, because that way I would be with you all day, every day."

Harm listened, in awe of this amazing woman. She'd taken the risk of talking to the General, infamous for throwing the book at fraternizing couples, and took the entire risk. He heard in her voice no regret, not even when telling him what his turning her down would've costed her. He'd also read between the lines. She would've remorselessly sacrificed her career by resigning to keep his safe.

It humbled him, the strength of her love and devotion, but it did not surprise him. He'd known very few people in his life who were as giving, as loving, as compassionate, as generous and as devoted as one Jennifer Coates-soon-to-be-Rabb. Since Meg had left and Diane had been killed he had not known a woman that would've been willing to sacrifice her career for him, much less had done so.

"I love you, Jen, and I'm incredibly humbled you would risk your career for me. For us."

The love in her eyes took his breath away. "I would do it anytime, Harm. And I know you'd do it for me anytime."

He wasn't able to deny her statement, he would've done it had he known she still felt the same. But the evidence of the last few weeks had spoken against such theory.

As if reading his mind Jen started tentatively. "Harm, I want to say how sorry I am I hurt you with LT Vukovich." he tried to say something, but she silenced him with gentle fingers on his lips. He nodded at her to continue and kissed her fingertips. "I was running away from my love for you and your love for me. Please, believe me, I never would've done anything with him, even if he wasn't an officer. You're still_ the one _Harm, you will be the one for the rest of my life. Please, forgive me."

Her pleading eyes stared up at him, wide, dark and anxious and he knew he had no right to hold it against her. He'd done the same thing last year, had tried to initiate a relationship with Mac, no matter how much he knew that relationship would never have been right, just because he'd become aware of his growing feelings for a particular strong woman, who'd always given him unconditional, silent support and love. Thankfully Mac had rejected him every time, as he had subconsciously known she would.

"There's nothing to forgive, Jen. I'm sorry too for keeping after Mac. I was running too. It should be me asking for your forgiveness. And I am doing that right now. Please forgive me for being a moron and hurting you." he whispered.

Shaking her head Jen denied. "There's nothing to forgive, Harm. I know because I was scared too."

"What do you say we make a deal: whenever one of us is scared or angry or just doubtful, we force ourselves to open up and talk to each other? And never go to bed angry."

"Deal." she burrowed herself deeper into his embrace. "I just can't stop loving you."

Harm's heart swelled with happiness. "Me neither, honey, me neither. I don't ever want to lose you."

"You won't." she whispered into his chest. "You're still the one and will be for as long as I live. There won't ever be anyone else for me but you."

Looking up with eyes soft with love she pressed her lips to his in a tender kiss, a reaffirmation of their love, of their bond and of their lifelong commitment.

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	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for coming along for the ride, it was fun.

Btw., if anyone's interested, on youtube is the complete video of the real C-130-landing-on-a-carrier maneuver which inspired TPTB to have Harm do. It's called "C-130 Hercules on an Aircraft Carrier!!". It's not just a video clip, but a short documentary produced by the Navy. Very interesting viewing. For other, wanting faster things, check out the "Su-37 extreme manuevrability demo" video.

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A few minutes later they had to break up for air and Harm threw his arm around her shoulders, while she put hers around his waist.

"You know, I've got a friend at Andrews." he mentioned and Jen snickered. There were very few places Harm didn't have friends at. She'd always been astounded at how, where-ever he went, he met people who greeted him as a long lost friend and who wanted to do anything for him. The man certainly had a lot of charisma and it literally drew people to him. There was no half way with him, he was not the kind of person to leave someone feel unaffected by him. Either you were his friend or you hated him, there was no middle road. His following words reminded her also that he'd qualified on several more planes while with the Agency. "He mentioned he's got an F-15 to transfer to Nellis AFB ASAP. And Tom at Nellis told me there's a Hawkeye waiting to be transferred here, but they've got no spare pilots at the moment..."

"... and Nellis is very close to Vegas." Jen completed his sentence, making Harm beam. "We could be married today." she concluded the thought when realization struck her almost immediately. The smile she sent him at that thought nearly blinded him.

"It would also mean we would have to work through the following nights to pack up both apartments and there would be no honeymoon right away." Harm cautioned. The message, that there would therefore be no wedding night for now, was received.

"I don't mind." she assured him. "As long as I have you and your love. Everything else can wait, even that, until we get used to the newest change. Besides, I've got you for the rest of my life, there'll be plenty of time for that in the coming decades."

"I like the way you think." he smiled and kissed her again. Just because he wanted to. And because he could now.

He ended the kiss much too soon in her opinion. "Go get dressed. Wear something practical, cause you'll be changing into a flight suit at Andrews. And pack the dress you want to wear for our wedding. Meet me back here in 20 minutes."

"Okay. Don't forget your Mess Dress with your new rank. I want you in it for the wedding."

"Whatever you want."

His reply draw a smile from her and she let him go. As she turned to walk away Harm suddenly saw his chance and gently slapped her firm ass, enjoying the feel of muscle under his palm. With a surprised squeak she whirled around only to see him grin.

"Always wanted to feel if it's as tight as it looks." he grinned unrepentantly.

Jen chuckled and, shaking her head, rolled her eyes in exasperation. He soooo didn't know it, but she would be checking the firmness of _his_ass, and of other parts of his anatomy, very soon. She had to know what she was buying, right?

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20 minutes later they met up again and Harm brought Jen to tears when he slipped an engagement ring on her finger. At her questioning, teary look he explained.

"This ring was given to me by my Grandmother when I left for the Academy. It was to go to the woman I'd marry. That would be you. Welcome to the family, Mrs. Rabb. By the way, Grandma Sarah can't wait to meet you." He'd called Grandma Sarah while he'd waited for Jen. He'd be calling Trish and Frank from Vegas. "We'll have to take a few weeks off in the Summer to introduce you to all the Rabbs."

Whatever more he'd meant to say was drowned in Jen's passionate kiss, which made him forget even his name.

When the kiss ended he needed a minute to regain his composure. "I guess you like it."

She grinned impishly at him. "Ya think?"

Chuckling he pressed a quick peck to her full, inviting lips. "Yeah. But it's really time to get going now."

Grabbing their few pieces of luggage he let her out before locking the door.

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Five minutes after Harm's car had pulled away a familiar red Corvette glided into the parking lot. It's occupant exited the vehicle and strode over to the intercom by the entrance.

No-one anwered the buzzing and the disappointed woman headed back to her car. The gut feeling that she'd taken too long to decide who and what she wanted niggled at her, but she pushed it away.

Just how late she was would be revealed the next day.

Unaware of what she'd learn in less than 24 hours Mac got into her car and pulled away from the building for the last time in her life.

THE END

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